Focaccia is really just a scaled down version of pizza. Although I would define this more as a flavored flatbread, you can call it what you wish. However, please, do yourself a favor and just try this! The toppings on a focaccia are not the main focus, though they do impart wonderful and essential flavorings. The highlight here is on the simplicity of the bread itself. And isn’t that what we all love about authentic Italian food? Using the best ingredients you can find, use very few of them and then produce an insanely tasty product. Well, my friends, this recipe hits that spot. I think you will fall in love, with your first bite.

To keep things really simple, you could go to a good pizza spot and buy their dough. Alternatively, you can use my  pizza dough recipe, which is super quick, easy and reliable. Please note, that this is not a big, fluffy, piece of bread. Therefore, there are many options when serving. For example, it is wonderful as a stand-alone snack or served alongside a meal. Additionally, and my personal favorite, I prefer it sliced thinly and served as an appetizer, with cocktails.

INGREDIENTS
1 round of dough
4-5 small shallots, thinly sliced
8-10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary, stripped from stems
1/2 tsp. each, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper
5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. Maldon salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425º
In a small bowl, combine the shallots, rosemary, 3 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, salt and pepper. Mix well, breaking up the shallot rings and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat a 12″ cast iron skillet (or any heavy, ovenproof skillet) either on top of the stove or in the preheating oven. Next, roll out the pizza dough to approximately a 10″ round.

Then, when the skillet is hot, remove from the heat and add the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is shimmering, carefully lay the rolled-out dough in the pan. Finally, using your fingertips, make multiple indentations in the dough and spread the shallot mixture on top. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until browned on top. Finally, remove from the oven, immediately add a sprinkling of the Maldon salt and let cool for about ten minutes, before slicing.

Remember Gourmet magazine? Well, this is adapted from one of their recipes, way back in 1999! Even after all these years, this is still a favorite in my house.

It is hearty, delicious and pretty darn simple to make. Everything goes into the pot, with only minor chopping and you walk away, for an hour. The brown rice is essential here because its heavy, starchy texture holds up to the hourlong cooking and breaks down a bit to produce a pleasing texture, that adds great body to the soup.  Additionally, it doesn’t hurt that the brown rice also has better nutritional value than white rice. Although you  might be tempted to use white rice, know that the white rice would break down and become too mushy; not the greatest texture.

Since the bulk of the “work” is deboning the chicken, you could make this even easier by just using chicken breasts. However, I think, if you have the time/patience, the whole chicken imparts much more flavor.

INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4 large celery sticks, cut into 1/4″ slices
3-4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4″ slices
1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 -4 lbs.
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/3 to 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 Tbs. kosher salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
3-4 quarts of water

DIRECTIONS
First, combine all ingredients in a 6 quart pot. Then, add the water to the pot, bring to a boil. Occasionally skim off any fat or scum, as  it comes to the top. Then, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for an hour.

Remove the chicken from the pot. When it’s cool enough to handle, remove the meat, discard the skin and bones. Then, shred the chicken with two forks and return it to the soup. The shredding gives the soup a more pleasing texture than just solid chunks of chicken.

Then, check for seasoning, add more salt and pepper, if needed, add a sprinkling of chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve. This makes quite a bit of soup and worth noting then, that it’s a great to stock the freezer with.  Which then comes in handy when you need a quick lunch, a sick day or just a cold day, when a warm bowl of soup soothes the soul.

This incredibly versatile recipe is adapted from Local Flavors, Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets, by Deborah Madison and although I think I have the original, first printed in 2002, you can get the updated version from 2012. Check out her other cookbooks here, they are definitely worth investigating.

Although you certainly can use just one color, I prefer to use a combination of red, orange and yellow peppers, because, it really makes for a prettier dish. You can use this as a simple salad at room temperature, just make sure that you serve it with fresh from the oven crostini. The bread allows you to get every last bit of the juices, which are amazing.

Additionally, you can use it as a topping on crostini with some plain or marinated goat cheese (see below), add it to a frittata or as an incredible addition to almost any sandwich or panini.  I have also used this as a pasta dish and been thrilled with the outcome. Whichever way you choose to use it, trust me, you will not be disappointed.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention pizza…this is an ideal addition to a grilled pizza, with some marinated goat cheese as well. The options are endless with this dish and every one of them is outstanding. Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Did I forget to mention that it is even better the next day? Well it is. While using it immediately after preparing is terrific, it’s also delicious cold and straight from the fridge. I have a son-in-law who, while visiting, loves nothing more than to attack the leftovers in the refrigerator the next morning. This will be perfect for him and I find myself doing the same thing! Vegetables in the morning can’t be bad, right?

INGREDIENTS
4-6 bell peppers, red, orange and yellow
1 large beefsteak tomato or 3-4 roma tomatoes
2 smaller yellow tomatoes
a handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
12 or more large basil leaves, julienned
1 plump garlic clove, finely chopped
2 Tbs. capers
12 Nicoise olives, Kalamata if not available, pitted and halved
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
First, halve and seed the peppers, (see notes below). Next, roast the peppers, either under the broiler, rotating often, in a 425º oven, or on a grill, until blistered and well charred. Then, put them in a bowl, cover and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, wipe off the blackened skin with a paper towel and cut into strips.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. Score the ends of each tomato, drop them in boiling water for about 20 seconds. Then, remove the skins, halve them, gently squeeze out the seeds and slice into strips. Next, in a bowl, combine the parsley, basil, garlic, capers, olives tomatoes, peppers and olive oil. Finally, season with 3/4 tsp. kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine all ingredients.

Preheat oven to 400º. Now, in a lightly oiled baking dish, combine the tomato and pepper mixtures. Then, cover and bake for about 20-30 minutes.

While it looks and smells amazing, do let it sit and cool before serving. The cooling to room temperature definitely enhances the flavors significantly. As a result, this a great make ahead dish, that can be done well ahead of serving.

NOTES
Although the picture, (near the top of this post) of the roasted peppers clearly shows that I had roasted them whole. I have since decided that it is so much easier to slice the peppers, into large pieces and then seed them before roasting. That way, it is far easier to peel the skins off and you don’t have to deal with the slippery seeds and membranes.

Please wipe away any comparisons to that well known canned soup from our childhood days, this could not be more different. Celeriac (also known as celery root) and fresh celery infuse this soup with a very intense and soothing flavor.

Although served hot, I find it delicious cold as well, which makes it a great choice for lunch on a hot summer day. Also noteworthy, this is about as low calorie as you can get, with fewer than 50 calories per serving,  yet it is delicious and satisfying, now that is a great combination!

INGREDIENTS
1 large leek, cleaned and roughly chopped
6 celery ribs, preferably with some leafy tops attached, roughly chopped
1 small celery root, (about 1/2 lb.), peeled and diced
4-5 cups chicken stock
fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chives, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Combine the first four ingredients in a heavy 4 qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Then, partially cover and simmer until the celery root is completely tender and breaks apart easily. This should take 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your celery root dice.

Transfer the soup to a food processor, blender or use an immersion blender and process until totally smooth. Personally, I use a NutriBullet and find that it does the best job. It totally breaks down the fibers and emulsifies into a beautiful, thick soup. It does such a good job, that it is hard to believe there is no cream or potatoes for thickening.

Celery is very stringy, so regardless of what device you use, err on the side of more blending to ensure that you have broken down any and all stringy pieces. Return to the saucepan, check for seasonings, reheat and garnish with the chives.

NOTES
I do not add any salt since the celery itself is naturally salty. You may add if you like, but I have found even a small amount of added salt was too much, so just be cautious with it.

Whether you prefer it hot or cold, try it as a worthy alternative for chicken soup when you aren’t feeling well.

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s roasted chicken with clementines and arak. This is such a great choice for entertaining a crowd. With all the prep work done ahead of time, that makes for a very relaxed hostess. In addition, you’ll find the flavors are intense and anything but ordinary. You and your guests will love this dish. I often serve some jasmine rice, a slice of good bread and a simple salad.

INGREDIENTS
6 1/2 Tbs. Pernod (Anise liquor)
4 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbs. whole grain mustard
3 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 medium fennel bulbs
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2-3 lbs. chicken thighs or 1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 clementines, unpeeled, sliced into 1/4″ pieces
1 Tbs. thyme leaves
flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS
First, place the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add 2 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper, whisk together and set aside. 

Next, trim the fennel, cut each bulb in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 4 wedges. Add the fennel to the liquids, along with the chicken, sliced clementines and thyme. Mix well, transfer to a ziplock bag (or 2) and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight. You could just marinate this in the large mixing bowl, however I actually find it is easier to mix and rotate throughout the marinating process, as a result, all the goodness will reach all parts of the chicken.

If you are very short on time and still want to make this dish, you could certainly shorten the marinating time. On the other hand, know that you may be compromising the intensity of the flavors. Consequently, I would  shoot for at least a full hour of martinating.

Preheat oven to 425º
Transfer the chicken and marinade mixture to a baking dish or a rimmed sheet pan, large enough for everything to be in one layer. More importantly, make sure the chicken is skin side up, to ensure proper browning/crisping of the skin. During the cooking, check to ensure the chicken pieces are getting browned and move things around a bit if needed.

Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through.

Next, remove chicken, fennel and clementines from the pan and arrange nicely on a large serving plate, cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce until it is reduced by about one third, you should end up with about 1/3 – 1/2 cup. Finally, pour the hot sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley and serve.